


quiet birds in circled flight

by UniverseInk



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Batfamily (DCU), Bruce Wayne is a Bad Parent, Dick Grayson killed the Joker, Don't copy to another site, Hurt/Comfort, I don't like that term but Jason is dealing with the pit aftereffects, Jason Todd Has PTSD, Lazarus Pit Madness, M/M, Reformed Harleen Quinzel, The Joker is dead, Trans Dick Grayson, he gets better tho, they're all traumatized but Jason's trauma is going to be a focal point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26466775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseInk/pseuds/UniverseInk
Summary: Jason came back to Gotham for revenge. On Bruce, for not avenging his death, for replacing him. On the new kid, for taking his place. On the criminals who’d turned Gotham into their own playground.He had a plan. A plan that revolved, in large part, around the Joker.Only now he’s standing on a rooftop with Dick, who still doesn’t know it’s Jason under the hood, and the Joker is already dead. Killed by Nightwing.Jason returns to Gotham to find that his revenge has already been carried out. Dick is in exile after killing the Joker, running a new team in Blüdhaven and dealing with his own self-hatred. He's got a team that's more than willing to welcome Jason back, even if Bruce won't.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West, Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Comments: 119
Kudos: 756





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this AU floating around in my head for a while, finally getting down to writing it. I'll list relevant TWs in the beginning notes of each chapter, as well as any new tags I add. I'm still working on the BRiTC au, but my hope is that having more projects going at once will help with motivation
> 
> Title from _Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep_ by Mary Elizabeth Frye
> 
> Batcest shippers leave now or your kneecaps are forfeit 
> 
> TWs for this chapter: canon-typical violence

Jason doesn’t roll into Gotham guns blazing. He doesn’t call attention to himself. He sets up a couple safehouses and starts gathering information. He can’t pull this off if he’s going in blind.

He hits the streets. Beats the shit out of a guy harassing a couple working girls. He’s not sure the guy’s still breathing when he walks away. 

Over the next few nights he gathers up snippets of information, overheard conversations or small talk at bars he feels old enough to be allowed into. There are rumors about Harley Quinn going legit, along with the rumors of her playing nice until she unleashes some big vengeance plot. The Riddler is freshly back in Arkham after Batman and Robin solved a convoluted set of puzzles involving several boats and a fake bomb. Two-Face is out, but probably not for long. 

Jason doesn’t hear anything about the Joker. 

He decides to take a more direct approach. He’s got one of Two-Face’s men pinned against a brick wall, twisting his arm until it’s about to snap. 

“I’ve got a bone to pick with the Joker,” he growls. “Where is he?”

The crook laughs. Jason twists his arm until he hears a _pop_ and the man screams.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just… that you don’t know…” the crook pants. “Joker’s been dead for months.”

Jason freezes. The Joker is _dead?_

“Who killed him?” Jason jerks the man’s arm, earning him a pained whine.

“Nightwing!” he gasps. “It was Nightwing.”

Jason jerks back, letting the crook fall to the ground. _Dick_ killed the Joker? The Joker has been dead for months, and Dick _fucking_ Grayson killed him.

He doesn’t believe it.

It doesn’t take long to find Dick in Blüdhaven. Jason drops onto the roof behind him, watches him rise from his crouch and twist to face him, drawing his escrima in one smooth movement.

“Who are you?” he asks.

“Call me Red Hood.” Jason shoves his hands in his pockets, affecting an air of being way more relaxed than he really is. 

Dick looks him up and down. “What do you want?” he asks, scowling.

“You beat me to the Joker,” Jason says. 

Dick’s domino tugs in a way that means he’s narrowing his eyes. “ _What._ ”

“I came back to kill him. Among other things.” Jason shrugs. “But then I get here and find out he’s already dead. Put a bit of a damper on my plans.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint,” Dick grits out. He’s on edge, now. Not on alert, like when Jason first dropped down behind him. It’s true, then.

Jason sighs.

He came back to Gotham for revenge. On Bruce, for not avenging his death, for replacing him. On the new kid, for taking his place. On the criminals who’d turned Gotham into their own playground.

He had a plan. A plan that revolved, in large part, around the Joker. 

Only now he’s standing on a rooftop with Dick, who still doesn’t know it’s Jason under the hood, and the Joker is already dead. Killed by Nightwing.

Jason’s not sure what to do now. He needs time to think this over. If Talia failed to mention _this_ , what else did she not tell him?

A commotion draws Dick’s attention away, and Jason uses his distraction to disappear into the shadows. By the time he looks back, Jason’s hidden from view by the air vents.

Dick scowls. “Who are you?” he asks, like he knows he hasn’t gone far.

Jason considers his answer. He could just tell him, but somehow he doesn’t think Dick would buy it. He’d assume it was a trick, some villain playing dirty by tearing open old wounds.

He’s always had a flair for the dramatic, though, and Dick knows it.

“ _Do not stand at my grave and weep,_ ” Jason quotes. His voice bounces off the metal vents, giving it an echoing quality. “ _I am not there, I do not sleep_.”

He doesn’t stick around to watch Dick’s reaction.

Dick is freaking the fuck out.

Granted, anyone asking about the Joker is enough to rattle him these days, but this is different. He collapses onto the couch, raking his hands through his hair. Red Hood, whoever he is, is _achingly_ familiar.

Dick runs through the conversation in his head over and over. Red Hood had said he’d come _back_ to Gotham, so he’d either been here before or was from here. Based on the accent that had slipped past the voice modulator, Dick’s willing to bet he’s a Gothamite. 

Someone from Gotham with a reason to get revenge on the Joker. That doesn’t narrow it down much, honestly. But the poem… 

Dick had asked who he was, and Red Hood had figured that was a good answer. _Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep_ , Written by Mary Elizabeth Frye. There’s exactly one person Dick can think of who’d quote that at him and expect him to know who they are.

But it _can’t_ be Jason.

Can it?

Dick had been off-planet when Jason died. He missed the funeral, never saw a body. But even though he wouldn’t necessarily put it past Bruce to fake someone’s death, his grief had been real. It had consumed him, nearly destroyed him. Would have, if not for Tim.

Coming back from the dead wasn’t unheard of, though. Clark had done it. It was possible. It _could_ be Jason.

There’s a knock on the door. Dick’s out of his seat and in the entryway before he can even think, yanking open the door, hope bubbling up in his chest.

“Hey babe,” Wally says. “I brought takeout.”

Dick blinks, hope fizzling out. “Oh, hey.”

Wally frowns. “Are you okay?” he asks.

“Come in.” Dick holds the door open to let him pass.

Wally dumps the bags of food on the kitchen counter. “What’s wrong? Is everyone okay?”

Dick leans against the wall, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. “I think Jason’s alive.”

There’s a moment of complete silence.

“ _What?_ ”

“I don’t know. I ran into someone on patrol today. He was wearing a helmet, but…” Dick takes a shuddering breath. “ _God_ Wally I swear it was him.”

Wally leans against the wall next to him, lacing their fingers together. “Okay,” he says softly. “Did you talk to him?”

“Yeah,” Dick croaks. “Had a whole conversation.”

“About what?”

Dick gives a shaky laugh. “About how I ruined his revenge scheme by killing the Joker before he could.”

Wally sighs, pulling Dick into a hug. Dick buries his face in his boyfriend’s shoulder, sobs wracking his body. Wally presses a kiss into his hair.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers. “You’re okay.”

Once Dick has cried himself out he steps back, wiping at his face. Wally leads him over to the couch and pulls him down to sit next to him. Dick leans into his side.

“Are you going to tell Bruce?”

It’s a fair question, but it makes Dick’s stomach twist. “Not yet. And you can’t tell anyone either,” he insists. “Not until I _know_.”

“Okay.” Wally gives him one last squeeze and kisses his forehead before standing, pulling Dick up by both hands. “Come on, this food isn’t going to eat itself.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick goes to the railyard. It’s a long shot, that he’d find Jason here, but he doesn’t know where else to go. He’s not welcome at Wayne Manor, not now.   
> He settles down on top of a box car. The rest of his team is out on patrol, so he has nowhere else to be. Only Wally knows what’s going on. Dick doesn’t want this getting out, not until he’s sure it’s Jason. (It _has_ to be him, right?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the content for this chapter written before I even finished writing chapter 1. There's some some mentions of death and killing, but nothing I think requires a TW

Dick goes to the railyard. It’s a long shot, that he’d find Jason here, but he doesn’t know where else to go. He’s not welcome at Wayne Manor, not now. 

He settles down on top of a box car. The rest of his team is out on patrol, so he has nowhere else to be. Only Wally knows what’s going on. Dick doesn’t want this getting out, not until he’s sure it’s Jason. (It _has_ to be him, right?)

A red helmet pops over the edge of the box car, and Red Hood heaves himself onto the top of the car. 

“Figure it out yet?”

“Little Wing.” The nickname tumbles off his lips without permission. “It’s you, right?”

Jason takes off the helmet, shaking out his hair. It’s longer now, curling over his forehead. There’s a white streak in his bangs. He’s wearing a red domino, and Dick wants to laugh, because that’s the sort of over-preparedness only a Bat would have. 

The awe of his brother being alive wins out, and he gets to his feet to pull Jason into a hug.

“Fuck, Jay,” he gasps, gripping the back of his jacket. “ _Fuck._ ”

“ _Language_ ,” Jason chirps, in a passable imitation of Alfred’s accent. He returns the hug stiffly.

“Who the hell let you get so tall.” Dick sniffs. “You’re not allowed to be taller than me.”

Jason shrugs. “Lazarus pit has some weird side effects, I guess.”

Dick pulls back. “You were in a Lazarus pit?” he asks.

“Yeah.” Jason’s voice is tight.

“Jay, what happened?” Dick keeps his voice soft. “I know about… about Ethiopia. But how are you back?”

Jason chews his lip. “Not sure, honestly. Talia found me wandering, half brain dead. Threw me in the pit.”

“When was that?”

“About two or three years ago.” Jason won’t look at Dick’s face. “I’ve been training.”

“With the League of Shadows?” Dick asks cautiously. Jason nods. “You came back, though.”

“I had a plan.”

Dick remembers what he’d said, that Dick had beaten him to the Joker. “And now?”

“I don’t know. I’m still pissed at B, but…” Jason trails off, frowning. “Talia said Bruce hadn't avenged me. That I should come back and avenge myself. But she had to have known what you did. She didn’t tell me that.”

“Talia sent you here?” Dick doesn’t trust Talia. He believes she has some sort of genuine feelings for Bruce, but he knows where her loyalties lie.

“I’m not working for the League, if that’s what you mean,” Jason snaps.

“No, I just—” Dick hesitates. “I just don’t really understand why she’d help you, without some sort of ulterior motive.”

Jason shrugs. “Ra’s thought it was just to make nice with B. I don’t know.”

“Okay.” Dick takes a deep breath. “Where are you staying? Does anyone else know you’re back?”

“Not unless you told them.”

“Only Wally,” Dick says. “I was kind of a wreck, he asked me what was going on. I didn’t want to tell anyone until I was sure it was you. I couldn’t… I couldn’t get their hopes up.”

“Huh. Figured you’d tell B, at least.”

“We’re not exactly on speaking terms at the moment.” Dick’s voice is icy, even to his own ears.

“The hell happened?”

“I broke his one rule, Jay.” Dick crosses his arms. “I crossed the line, went too far. Technically, I’m not allowed to operate in Gotham.”

“What the _fuck?_ ” Jason explodes. “He fucking _kicked you out of Gotham?_ ”

“He’s… different, now. After you died, he lost it. He was destroying himself, and he wouldn’t let anyone help.” Dick hugs his arms closer to his body. “He’s doing better now, but he’s… darker, I guess.”

Jason stares off into the night, frowning. He huffs and runs a hand through his hair.

“Why’d you do it?” he asks. 

Dick lets out a shaky breath. “He had Robin,” he says. “He had Robin, and he was taunting me. Talking about how he was going to kill him, talking about _you_. I just snapped.”

“You did it to protect the new kid.” Jason’s voice is bitter.

“No,” Dick admits. “I could have protected him without killing the Joker. I did it because… because he took you away from me.”

Jason’s head jerks up, staring right at him. Both their eyes are still covered, but Dick can read the surprise on his face.

“You didn’t answer my other question, by the way.” Dick changes the topic, too close to breaking down to keep that train of thought going. “Where are you staying?”

“I’ve got a safehouse. Nothing fancy, but it’s secure.” Jason shrugs.

Dick chews his lip for a moment. “Why don’t you come stay with me? My apartment’s only got one bedroom, but we can make it work.”

“It’s fine,” Jason says. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to,” Dick blurts out. “I just… kinda don’t want to let you out of my sight for a while.” He grins crookedly.

Jason huffs a laugh. “Alright. For your sake, then.”

“Come on, my bike is over there.” Dick jumps off the box car, doing a flip on the way down.

“Showoff,” Jason yells, climbing down the ladder.

Dick’s got his helmet on by the time Jason catches up with him. “I don’t have a spare, but I think you’ve got that covered.” He nods to the helmet Jason has put back on. 

“Safety first,” he quips.

The apartment’s empty when they get back to Bludhaven. His team has a habit of breaking in after patrol, and Dick’s glad they haven’t come over tonight. Jason doesn’t need an audience right now. 

Dick gives him the, admittedly very short, grand tour. His apartment isn’t the smallest he’s seen, but the living area is only about the size of his bedroom at the Manor. There’s a fold-out couch, a set of mismatched armchairs, and a coffee table that’s actually a stack of milk crates.

Jason doesn’t comment on it, not in any negative way. It’s nice, Dick thinks, to be around someone else who never really got used to being super rich. Tim’s a good kid, but he doesn’t understand why Dick won’t just let him buy him decent furniture. 

They end the tour in the bedroom. Dick shoves his clothes to one side of the small closet and gets to work clearing a drawer.

“You can put your stuff in here,” he says. They’d stopped by Jason’s safehouse to grab some stuff. “You can shower if you want, I’m gonna make some food.”

Jason nods, stowing his go bag in the closet. “I’ll take you up on that.”

Dick heads into the kitchen. It’s well-stocked, mostly by virtue of Wally spending so much time here. He’s not much of a cook, but he’s got a few staples down pat. He makes sandwiches and puts water on to boil for mac and cheese, then cuts up a couple apples. 

The water shuts off as Dick is adding the noodles to the pot. Jason wanders out a few minutes later, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. It’s easier to see how much he’s filled out without all the body armor. He’s broad-shouldered and well-built, a far cry from the kid Alfred had spent months getting up to a healthy weight. 

“Can you finish up here so I can shower?” Dick asks. Jason agrees, and Dick heads to the bathroom. 

He strips out of his suit, throwing it on the floor for now. Jason’s gear is folded neatly in the corner. Dick will have to show him the false wall later. 

He stands under the water, going through the motions of a shower while his mind wanders.

Jason’s alive. Brought back by some unknown force, thrown in a Lazarus Pit by Talia, and trained by the League of Shadows. Dick doesn’t want to think about what that probably means. He’s not naive, he saw the guns Jason keeps holstered under his jacket. 

Not that he has much room to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins (batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his shower, Dick returns to the kitchen to find that Jason has not only finished the mac and cheese, but is making soup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really excited about this au, and I'm having fun writing it, so the updates have been pretty quick so far. I haven't given up on my other stories, so if you're following those don't worry

After his shower, Dick returns to the kitchen to find that Jason has not only finished the mac and cheese, but is making soup. 

“Sit,” he points to the living area, where the rest of the food has been arranged on the makeshift coffee table. “I’m almost done, then this needs to simmer for a while.”

Dick smiles, taking a seat on the couch. “Since when do you cook?” he asks.

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Alfred taught me.”

Huh. Dick hadn’t known that. Once the soup is simmering, Jason takes the other end of the couch and grabs a sandwich. 

“Speaking of cooking, I remember you barely being able to feed yourself.” Jason teases. “Now you’ve actually got food in your place that isn’t instant ramen or cereal.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “You can thank Wally for that. He always complains that I don’t have enough snacks.”

Jason hums. “Are you still working with the Titans?” he asks.

“Not exactly. I split off a while back.” Dick takes a bite, chewing while he chooses his words. “I have a new team now, but honestly most of us were Titans at one point.”

“Who all is it?” Jason asks.

“Wally and I, plus Roy and Kori,” Dick says. “And, uh, Harley Quinn.”

Jason’s jaw drops. “What?”

“She’s reformed, I swear,” Dick assures him. “Turns out killing her abuser made her grateful to me, so I helped her out.”

“Damn.” Jason hums. “Well, good for her. You’re all operating in Blüdhaven?”

“Yeah. After B cut ties with me…” Dick sighs. “I wasn’t doing great. I was getting reckless, not really caring what happened to me. Roy sat me down, said either I accepted some help or I got out of the game. Thus, new team.”

Jason nods. “How is everyone?” he asks. Dick hears the meaning behind it, the _what have I missed_ hiding just behind his casual attitude.

“Well, Roy has a daughter now.”

Jason coughs, choking on his food. Dick pounds on his back until he catches his breath. 

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, a little girl named Lian.” Dick smiles. “She’s a sweetheart.”

“Who’s the mom?”

“An assassin called Cheshire.” Dick watches Jason’s eyes widen. “He was… going through some stuff. He didn’t even know she was pregnant until Lian was born. He hung up the cape for a while to look after her, but he couldn’t stay away.”

Jason hums. “Any other surprise children?” he asks.

Dick thinks about telling him about the new kids back in Gotham. He knows about Tim, but Dick’s not sure if he’s heard of Cass. That can wait, though. Dick doesn’t really want to get into it tonight.

“Nah. Wally’s got a cousin now, though.”

“Really? Barry and Iris had a kid?”

“Well, they had twins.” Dick says. “But technically I was talking about their grandson who time travelled back from the future.”

“Jesus christ, how weird did the world get while I was gone?” Jason asks.

“Well, there’s a kid who’s a clone of Superman, and his DNA was mixed with Lex Luthor’s, so I’d say pretty weird.”

“What the _fuck_.”

“Yeah, that threw us all for a loop.” Dick laughs. “There’s pretty much a new generation of JLA mentees. Superboy, Impulse, Robin, and Wonder Girl have a team.”

“There’s a new Wonder Girl?” Jason asks. “What’s Donna up to, then?”

Dick freezes, staring down at his hands. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

“No,” Jason breathes. “She’s not—”

Dick nods.

“Fuck, I’m sorry.”

Dick manages a smile that’s more of a grimace. Jason reaches out, hesitating before resting a hand on his shoulder.

“I miss her,” Dick says. “We all do.”

They eat in silence for a while after that. Eventually Dick gets up to clear the dishes.

“We’re gonna have to tell the others you’re back,” he says. “I can’t keep this from them.”

“The others?”

“Bruce, Babs, Alfred,” Dick lists. “They all miss you, Jay.”

Jason hums. “What did you have in mind? Family reunion?”

Dick laughs, dumping their plates in the sink. “We need to tell Babs soon, or she’ll figure it out herself and be pissed.”

“Yeah? She still Batgirl?”

“Uh, no.” Dick hesitates. “She’s Oracle now. She’s more behind the scenes these days, watching our backs. Her hacking skills are second to none.”

“Huh, cool. Never would’ve pegged her for the type to hang back from the action.”

“She had to adapt. She, uh…” Dick winces, turning around and bracing his hands on the edge of the counter. He’s not sure how to put this, not sure how Jason will react. “The Joker shot her, she’s paralyzed from the waist down.”

Jason’s face goes dark, and Dick swears he sees a flash of green in his eyes. “ _What_.”

“She’ll kick your ass if you even think about pitying her,” Dick warns. “It was a terrible thing to go through, but she’s as strong as she ever was.”

Jason sighs, squeezing his eyes shut. “Yeah, I guess that’s fair. I don’t think I’d react well to pity either.” He lets out a long breath. “What’s Oracle do, then? Besides hacking, I mean.”

“She’s basically the eyes and ears of the operation. She runs comms, puts together cases, handles a lot of the research.” Dick grins. “She’s brilliant.”

Jason snorts. “Was there ever any doubt of that?”

“Nope.” Dick grins wider. “She’s really had my back through all this. Technically none of the Gotham-based vigilantes are supposed to work with me, but that doesn’t apply to her. I’m not sure what she said to B to make that happen, though.”

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Exactly how many people are running around Gotham in tights these days?” he asks.

Dick curses internally. “Not including Babs, four. It’s kind of a long story, though, and it’s late.” The redirection is weak, and Dick’s sure Jason sees right through it, but he just shrugs.

“Alright,” he says. “You taking the couch, or am I?”

“I am.” Dick pulls spare bedding out of the hall closet. “Alfred would kill me if I didn’t offer you the utmost hospitality.”

Jason laughs. “Can’t argue with that.” He stands and stretches, heading toward the bedroom. “Well, night.”

“Goodnight,” Dick says. “And Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re back.”

Jason wakes up in an unfamiliar room. He scrambles out of bed, on his feet and ready for action before he remembers where he is. Last night’s events come rushing back to him, and he relaxes. It’s too late to go back to sleep, the adrenaline woke him up more than enough. Sighing, he wanders out into the kitchen. 

Dick’s still asleep on the couch, one leg over the back with the blanket twisted around his stomach. For anyone else it would look like an uncomfortable position, but Dick’s an acrobat. He sits in weirder positions when he’s conscious. 

Or, at least, he did. Probably still does, in all honesty. But Jason doesn't really _know_ that. 

Shaking his head to dislodge those thoughts, he starts a pot of coffee. The soup from last night is in the fridge, so Jason pulls it out and makes himself a bowl to reheat. By the time he settles down in one of the armchairs, Dick is awake and dragging himself off the couch. 

“Morning.” He yawns, arching his back like a cat.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen.” Jason says by way of greeting. 

“No thanks.” Dick rolls off the couch. “Coffee makes me tired, it’s an ADHD thing.”

“Why do you even have a coffee maker, then?”

Dick smirks. “I do have friends, you know.”

Jason rolls his eyes. Dick rummages around in the kitchen for a bit before reappearing with his own soup and plopping down in the tangle of sheets on the couch. 

“Holy shit, this is good,” he says.

“You’re welcome,” Jason teases.

“Thanks, Jay!” Dick’s smile is way too cheery for being awake this early. Well, it’s actually almost ten, but that’s early for people in their line of work.

After they eat, Jason heads into the kitchen to wash their dishes while Dick goes to get dressed. He’s rinsing out his mug when a key scrapes in the lock. Jason stills, shutting off the faucet to hear better. The door opens, but from his position he can’t see who it is.

“Hey short pants!” a man’s voice calls. “Something’s up with you, and your boyfriend’s being cagey as fuck. I brought pancakes and a toddler, and I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.”

Roy Harper rounds the corner, stopping dead. He’s got a plastic bag in one hand, and a little girl propped on his hip. He scowls.

“Who the hell are you?” he barks.

Jason blinks. He can’t blame Roy for not recognizing him. They’d only met a couple times, and he knows he’s changed a lot. Dick rushes out of his room, skidding to a stop in front of them.

“Uh, hey Roy,” he says cautiously. “What are you doing here?”

Roy raises an eyebrow. “Wally wouldn’t tell me what’s up with you.” He transfers Lain into Dick’s arms when she starts making grabby hands at him. 

“Wait, you’re dating Wally?” Jason asks. 

Dick stops making faces at the toddler in his arms. “Yeah, for a while now.” 

“Seriously, who is this guy?” Roy gestures at him.

“You remember my brother Jason, right?” Dick flashes a sheepish grin.

Roy narrows his eyes, glancing back and forth between them. “I remember him being a lot shorter,” he says drily. “And also _dead_.”

“I got better,” Jason deadpans.

“Huh.” Roy shrugs. “Well, that explains why Dick’s been weird. This is my daughter, Lian, by the way.”

Dick hands her over, undeterred by Jason’s glare. “Say hi to your Uncle Jay.”

Jason fumbles as he takes her. “Uh, nice to meet you, kid.” 

Lian stares up at him, unblinking. Slowly, she reaches out and slaps one tiny hand on his cheek. “Pretty eyes.”

Jason feels his cheeks get hot. “Thank you?”

Roy muffles a laugh and Dick grins.

“Shut up,” Jason hisses at them. “I don’t know how kids work.”

Dick takes pity on him and takes Lian back. He moves over to the couch with her, talking in a cheery voice. 

“So,” Roy says. “You’re back from the dead?”

“Pretty much.”

“Does Bruce know yet?”

Jason scowls. “Not yet. I’m not sure how he’ll react.”

“I get that.” Roy nods. “Billionaire vigilante father figures aren’t known for being predictable.” 

Jason smirks. “Oliver giving you trouble?”

“Not so much anymore. I told him he needed to pull his head out of his ass if he wanted to be in Lian’s life, and he actually listened.” Roy glances over at where Dick is sitting. “I won’t lie, Bruce is being a prick right now. None of us are happy with him.”

“So I’ve heard.” Jason scrubs a hand through his hair. He’d always known Bruce had a strict no-killing rule, one he stuck to no matter the circumstances. It’s not a surprise, really, that he can’t condone Dick killing the Joker. 

Jason just never thought he’d go this far. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins (batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy leaves in the early afternoon, and Dick disappears into his room for an hour. The walls are thin enough that Jason can hear one side of a very emotional phone conversation, so he grabs the first book off Dick’s bookshelf that looks interesting and does his best not to eavesdrop. He gets drawn into the story soon enough, blocking out everything else.  
> When Dick finally emerges, Jason does him the courtesy of not mentioning how red his eyes are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter took for-fucking-ever to write. Thanks for being patient with me

Roy leaves in the early afternoon, and Dick disappears into his room for an hour. The walls are thin enough that Jason can hear one side of a very emotional phone conversation, so he grabs the first book off Dick’s bookshelf that looks interesting and does his best not to eavesdrop. He gets drawn into the story soon enough, blocking out everything else.

When Dick finally emerges, Jason does him the courtesy of not mentioning how red his eyes are. 

“Wally says to say hi for him.” Dick sits cross-legged in an armchair. “And Babs is on her way over.”

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Way to warn a guy.”

“I _am_ warning you. Besides, I really don’t think I could have convinced her to wait.” Dick shrugs. “She wants to see you.”

Jason frowns, flicking a dog-eared page corner with his thumb. Apparently Dick’s a heathen who doesn’t use bookmarks. 

“Everyone’s going to be weird about this,” he says.

“I mean, yeah.” Dick lifts one corner of his mouth in a half smile. “I don’t think there’s a not-weird way to react to your dead loved one coming back to life.”

“At least the new kid doesn’t know me,” Jason grumbles. 

Dick’s smile falters. “Uh, yeah. About that…”

“What?” Jason raises an eyebrow. Talia had shown him pictures of Tim Drake, and he’d never seen the kid. 

“Tim’s kind of a fanboy,” Dick grins sheepishly. “He used to follow Batman and Robin around with a camera.”

Huh. “Not gonna lie, that’s kind of creepy.”

Dick laughs. “Yeah, a little. Anyway, he figured out our secret IDs when he was nine because he recognized one of my flips from seeing me perform at Haly’s.”

Jason’s jaw doesn’t drop, but it’s a near thing. The Bat’s secret IDs are some of the most closely guarded in the business, and this kid figured it out when he was _nine_. 

“He sort of idolized all of us.” Dick rests his hands on his ankles and looks up at the ceiling. “And I mean, he thought Batman was amazing, but Robin was his hero.”

Jason snorts. “Bet he follows you around like a little duckling now, huh?”

Dick rolls his head to the side and looks Jason in the eyes. His face is solemn.

“What?”

“I said _Robin_ was his hero,” Dick says. “Not Nightwing.”

“Oh.” Jason blinks. “You mean me.”

“Yeah, Jay,” Dick says. “He wanted to be just like you.”

Jason grunts. “That why he took up the mantle?”

“Not exactly.” Dick bites his lip. “I said before that Bruce… changed. After you died, I mean. He was running himself into the ground, ignoring Alfred and I. He was going to get himself killed.” He sighs, closing his eyes. “Tim connected the dots between Batman’s erratic behavior and your death and decided he needed to do something about it.”

Jason hums. He wants to be angry at this kid, _has_ been angry at him since Talia first mentioned a new Robin. It would be easy to hate him if he was just some little shit who decided it would be fun to fill the empty spot Jason’s death had left. Listening to Dick, that’s starting to sound less and less true.

“So, when’s Babs getting here?”

By the time Barbara knocks on the door, Jason is nearing panic levels of anxiety. He takes a deep breath, hoping to settle his nerves the same way he’s learned to tamp down the white-hot flares of Pit-induced anger. Dick flashes Jason a reassuring grin before opening the door. 

“Out of my way, Boy Wonder,” Barbara says. “I’m not here for you.”

Dick laughs and steps out of the way, closing the door behind her. “Love you too, Babs.”

Barbara wheels herself into the living room, stopping a few feet from where Jason is standing. Her long hair is loose around her shoulders, and she’s dressed in jeans and a flannel. She carries herself with a palpable confidence, eyes bright and shoulders squared. 

Jason has missed her.

“Hey Babs,” he says. “You look well.”

Barbara smirks. “You’re looking pretty good yourself, for a corpse.”

Jason grins. It’s a relief, that she’s not making a big deal of all this. Then again, she probably understands better than anyone why he doesn’t want her to.

“Okay, now lean down so I can hug you, you fucking giant.” Barbara holds her arms out.

Jason laughs and hugs her. “Everyone keeps pointing out how tall I am,” he says.

“That’s because you used to be tiny,” Barbara grumbles into his shoulder. 

Jason pulls away. “I wasn’t _that_ small.”

“No, you were,” Dick pipes up, smirking. “You barely came up to my shoulder.”

“And that’s saying something,” Barbara adds. 

Dick presses a hand to his chest, gasping in mock offense. “ _Excuse you_ , five foot seven is a perfectly reasonable height for a trans acrobat.”

Barbara snorts. “Of course it is, Dick.”

“I know you’re mocking me, but I’m choosing to ignore that because I love you.”

“So,” Jason says, sitting on the couch. “What have you been up to in the last few years?”

Barbara parks her wheelchair next to the couch. “Well, aside from becoming Oracle, I’ve been mentoring the new Batgirl.”

“There’s a new Batgirl?” Jason asks.

“Oh, yeah,” Babs says. “Did Dick not tell you? Her name’s Cass.”

“Huh.” Dick had mentioned other vigilantes, but he hadn’t wanted to talk about them. Jason figured they were a sore spot, what with his own banishment. “What’s she like?”

“She’s a sweet kid,” Barbara says. “Well, not kid. She’s older than you.”

“Really? How much older?”

“A few months, I think. She turned twenty in January.” Barbara shrugs. “Did you really not mention her, Dick?”

“Hey,” Dick raises his hands in surrender. “There’s a lot to cover, okay? I didn’t want to overwhelm him immediately.”

“So you skipped over his new sister?” Babs raises an eyebrow. “He at least knows about Tim, right?”

“Whoa, back up,” Jason leans forward, frowning. “ _Sister?_ ”

Babs shakes her head, sighing. “You’re all disasters,” she mutters. “Yes, Bruce adopted Cass a little while back.”

“Jesus, is he collecting orphans or something?” Jason runs a hand through his hair.

“Cass isn't an orphan,” Dick says. “Her birth dad’s a piece of shit and her mom doesn’t really want a daughter.”

“But yes,” Babs says, “he _is_ collecting orphans.”

“Right.” Jason huffs a laugh. “And how many siblings do I suddenly have?”

“Just me, Tim, and Cass,” Dick says. 

A loud, persistent beeping fills the room. Barbara curses under her breath and digs out her phone. She glares at the screen like it’s personally wronged her.

“Goddamnit, I have to go,” she says. “Got new credit card activity for a guy I’ve been tracking, I have to get on this before he vanishes again.” She looks over at Jason. “Sorry.”

He shrugs. “I know how it is. Go get your scumbag.”

“Thanks.” Babs gives him one last hug before heading to the door. “Good to see you again, Jay.”

“You too, Barbie.”

Dick closes the door behind her. “You know, you’re still the only person who can call her that without getting decked.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Dick and Jason pay a visit to Wayne Manor
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins (batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick brings Jason to Wayne Manor. Things go well, right up until they don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! My mental health has been rough, but I've had a few good days so I'm trying to squeeze in as much writing as I can
> 
> As always: batcest shippers do not interact

“Okay,” Dick says, taking a deep breath. His knuckles are white on the steering wheel. “I told Alfred I was coming, and Babs made sure Tim and Cass won’t be here.”

“You’re not going to get turned away at the door?” Jason teases. He’s trying to lighten the mood, but as Dick’s grip tightens he knows it’s the wrong move.

“Ah, no. Alfred…” Dick bites his lip. “He’s not happy with Bruce kicking me out. He texts me sometimes, saying I can come over if I want. I just…”

“Don’t want to deal with Bruce?” 

Dick laughs. “Something like that.”

Jason leans back in his seat and stares out the window. Despite everything, the sight of the familiar scenery around Wayne Manor is comforting. It still feels like home. 

The wrought-iron gates swing open in front of them, and Dick parks to the side of the large driveway. Jason lets him lead the way up to the front door, eyes sweeping over the grounds. Dick raises his fist, only hesitating a moment before knocking. Jason hangs back a bit, out of the immediate line of sight of whoever’s on the other side. The door swings open.

“Master Richard,” Alfred greets warmly. “It is good to see you again.”

“You too, Alfie.” 

They hug, and Jason watches the tensions drain from Dick’s shoulders. When he pulls away, Alfred turns to him.

“And I see you brought—” He stops mid-sentence, jaw falling open. “ _Jason_ ,” he breathes, lifting one hand to his mouth.

“Hey Alfred.” Jason smiles, feeling tears prick at his eyes. He hadn’t realized until this moment how much he missed the old butler. 

“Oh my dear boy.” Alfred jerks forward and wraps Jason in a hug. He melts into it, pressing his face into Alfred’s shoulder. He feels Alfred turn his head to the side. “Thank you for bringing him home,” he whispers.

“Of course,” Dick replies. 

Eventually, they separate. Alfred takes Jason’s face in his hands, giving him a watery smile.

“Oh, my boy,” he says, voice wavering. “You’ve gone and grown up without us, haven't you?”

“Sorry,” Jason laughs, more tears leaking down his cheeks.

Alfred brushes them away. “Don’t be sorry. Not for this miracle.” He straightens up, pulling his professional demeanor back together the best he can. “Now, I assume you’d like to see your father?”

At the phrase _your father_ , Jason grins. “Yeah.”

“Very well,” Alfred nods. “He’s in his study, I’ll take you there.” 

Dick hesitates at the threshold, but Jason grabs his arm and pulls him inside and they follow Alfred through the manor. It’s almost exactly the way he remembers it. A few vases are missing, replaced by unfamiliar ones, and he wonders idly who broke them. 

They pass a wall of photos. There are a handful of Bruce as a child, even fewer of him as a teenager. Most of the wall is dedicated to newer photos. A younger Dick doing a handstand on the coffee table. Bruce helping Jason with his homework. Barbara smiling from over the edge of a book. Alfred and a teenage Dick playing chess. Jason, smaller than he remembers ever being, grinning at the camera as he stirs a pot of chili. 

There are other pictures, ones Jason doesn’t recognize. Dick, now an adult, with his arm around a black-haired boy’s shoulders. A girl sitting cross-legged on the counter while Alfred arranges the lattice on a pie crust. The new kids, who must be Cass and Tim, asleep together on a couch. 

Jason turns his head away and keeps walking. 

They arrive at the study, and Alfred knocks twice before opening the door. Jason takes a deep breath and steps inside. 

Bruce is sitting at his desk, staring at a tablet. He looks different. His hair is greyer than Jason remembers, and a pair of reading glasses are perched on his nose. 

“Yes, Alfred?” he asks, not looking up.

Jason hesitates. He glances over at Dick, who nods.

“Hey dad.” His voice shakes.

Bruce’s head shoots up, eyes wide. The room is silent while he stands, walking around the desk like he’s in a dream.

“Jay… is that really you?”

Instead of answering, Jason pulls a book out of his jacket pocket and throws it to him. 

“That’s a first-edition Frankenstein,” he says. “Bought it off a rare bookseller in Croatia.”

Bruce blinks down at the cover. “I’ve been trying to find one for years.”

Jason smiles. “I know, I asked you to.”

Bruce tosses the book onto his desk and crosses the room, pulling Jason into his arms. “Jaylad,” he murmurs. “I’m so sorry. I was too late…”

“ _Don’t,_ ” Jason says. “I never blamed you.” He ducks his head, pressing his face into his dad’s chest. Bruce, at least, is still taller than him.

“I love you.” Bruce presses a kiss into his hair. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, dad.” 

Bruce pulls back, studying Jason’s face. He rubs his thumb over the thin white line crossing his cheekbone. “How?” 

They both know he’s not asking about the scar.

“It’s… a long story.” Jason flashes a tired smile. 

Bruce nods. “Well, you can tell it later. You’re home, that’s what matters.”

Still standing by the door, Alfred clears his throat. “Shall I make tea?”

Bruce blinks, attention returned to the rest of the room. He spots Dick, hovering halfway into the office. His face shutters, expression turning unreadable. 

“Thank you for bringing my son to me,” he says. “You can go now.”

The icy tone of Bruce’s voice cuts through Jason, and for a flickering moment he feels twelve years old again, listening to them argue about a mantle that was never supposed to be passed on. 

Then the rage sets in.

“I heard you kicked him out of Gotham.” Jason steps away from Bruce. “Why?”

“Jay, I told you—”

“No.” Jason interrupts Dick, eyes locked on Bruce. “I wanna hear it from him.”

Bruce studies him for a moment, face carefully blank. “He killed the Joker. That’s the one line I won’t tolerate being crossed.”

“Right.” Jason hears himself keep speaking, but the rage has taken over. He couldn’t stop himself if he wanted to. “Bats don’t kill, that’s the line. I’d hoped these might be special circumstances, but I guess not. I mean, the bastard only _killed me_ , it's not like he deserved it.”

The room goes eerily still. Bruce’s face pales, his composure slipping. 

“Jason…”

“But hey, a line’s a line, right?” Jason’s tirade cuts across Bruce, arms thrown out to the sides. “Anyone who crosses it’s on their own, can’t help that! Those are just the _rules_.” Green creeps into the edges of Jason’s vision. “Well I guess I’m on my own too, then.”

Bruce blinks. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb, you know what I mean.” Jason hears himself spit the words at Bruce, voice sharp. “I’ve killed. More people than Dick has, actually. That’s just what happens when you train with the _League of fucking Shadows_.”

Jason holds eye contact with Bruce, the rest of the world fading into a greenish haze. Bruce looks away first.

“I think you should go.”

“Yeah, I think I should too.” Jason storms out of the office, Dick following at his heels. He stomps out of the manor, passing the wall of photos without a second glance. It’s not until they reach the car that Jason slows to a halt, dragging one hand through his hair.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he yells, kicking one of the stones lining the driveway. 

“Whoa, hey.” Dick has his hands raised in a pacifying gesture. His eyes are wide, shoulders tense. He’s scared.

The realization causes the rest of the anger to drain from Jason’s body. He slumps against the side of the car, closing his eyes. 

“Can we just head back?” he asks.

There's a moment’s pause. “Yeah, okay.”

The ride back to the apartment is silent. Dick keeps shooting glances over at Jason, slumped in the passenger seat with his eyes focused out the window. He doesn’t try to make conversation.

After they park, Jason slams the car door a little harder than necessary, but follows Dick into the building quietly. It’s no surprise to Dick that Wally and Roy are waiting for them. He hadn’t invited them over, but they knew what was happening. 

Dick slides off his shoes and drops onto the couch next to Wally. A strong arm wraps around his shoulders. 

“I’m guessing it didn’t go well,” Wally murmurs, pressing a kiss to Dick’s head. Dick just leans into the hug, burying his face in Wally’s shoulder.

A moment later, he finds his lap full of toddler as Roy hands him Lian. Dick looks up to see Roy turn toward Jason, who’s still hovering near the entrance. 

“You, with me,” he says.

“What?” Jason asks.

“Come on, I’m gonna find you something to punch before you put a hole in the drywall.”

Jason frowns, but follows Roy out of the apartment anyway. Dick adjusts Lian on his lap, forcing a smile when she looks up at him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Wally’s voice is gentle.

Dick sighs. “It was good, at first. They were so happy to see him. Alfred and Bruce, I mean. Then Bruce told me to leave.” He screws up his face. “Well, he didn’t exactly _tell_ me to leave, but…”

“He dismissed you,” Wally finishes, rubbing circles on Dick’s back.

“Yeah.” Dick nods. “Jason got really upset. He said… He said that since Bruce won’t let me stay, he couldn’t stay either. Said he’s killed people.”

Wally’s hand falters in its movement.

“And, I mean, I _knew_ that. He said he trained with the League, and I’ve seen his gear. You don’t carry that many guns if you don’t plan to use them.” Dick idly strokes Lian’s hair, staring at a stain on the rug. “But hearing him say it… And he was so _angry_. I’ve never seen him like that before. He was such a sweet kid.”

“Yeah,” Wally says. “I remember. He was even more cheerful than you at that age.”

Dick laughs wetly. “Yeah.”

“Less mischievous, though. And not so big on the puns.”

“ _Hey_.” Dick knocks his shoulder against Wally’s. “Puns are a valid tactic to throw your opponent off their rhythm.”

“Whatever you say, babe.”

“Hah, yeah.” Dick chews his lip. “But uh, what I was saying, about Jason. It was more than just him being angry. His eyes glowed green.”

Wally raises one eyebrow.

“It’s… The Lazarus Pit has side effects, messes with people’s heads. It can make them violent.”

“You think that’s what was happening with his eyes?”

“Maybe.” Dick closes his eyes. “It’s just… he’s so different now. He’s colder, I guess. And it makes sense. Dying and coming back to life… I can’t imagine how that feels. But—”

“Yeah?” Wally prompts.

“But he’s still my little brother. I don’t like seeing him in pain.”

A small hand lands on the side of Dick’s face. He opens his eyes to find Lian staring up at him. 

“No cry,” she says, patting his cheek. “Be okay.”

Dick pulls her into a hug, kissing her hair. “Yeah,” he says. “It’ll be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...this chapter was mean, I'm sorry. Actually I'm not, I'm very proud of it. Up next: Jason and Roy go punch some things
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins(batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Jason and Roy go punch things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! If you haven't already, please read our tumblr post coming out as a system [here](https://merc--ury.tumblr.com/post/642321621369143296/a-revised-introduction)
> 
> As always: batcest shippers do not interact

Roy takes them to a gym in what could be described as one of Blüdhaven’s nicer neighborhoods. Jason trails a few steps behind as they enter, hands clenched into tight fists in his pockets, nails biting into his palms. 

“Hi Mr. Harper!” The young woman behind the desk greets them, waving. 

“Hey Abby.” Roy nods to her. “This is my friend, Jason. Gonna show him the setup in the back.”

“A friend, huh?” Abby’s smile turns mischievous. 

Roy laughs and rolls his eyes. “Not _that_ kind of friend.”

“Whatever you say.” Abby laughs. “Have fun.”

Roy leads Jason through the gym, shaking his head. “Sorry about her, my employees have all decided I need to find a spouse to help me raise Lian.”

“Employees?” Jason quirks an eyebrow. “You own this place?”

“Yep.” Roy pulls out a set of keys and lets them into the back room. “I needed a cover for relocating here, and I figured the team could use a place to train. Plus, as much as I tried to avoid it, I _did_ pick up some business sense being raised by Ollie.”

Jason glances around the room. It’s a good setup, and he can tell it was tailored to Dick’s team. The gymnastics equipment alone would be a dead giveaway. 

Roy tosses him a set of hand wraps. “Come on, I told you we were gonna hit stuff.”

Jason wraps his hands and follows Roy over to a punching bag. Roy braces it from one side.

“Okay. You’re gonna tell me what exactly happened with Bruce, and you’re gonna beat the shit out of this bag while you do it.”

“Why?”

Roy rolls his eyes. “Because it’ll help.”

Jason scowls, but steps up to the bag anyway. He drops into a stance, considering. “It was good, at first.” He strikes the bag once. “Saw Alfred.” He takes another swing. “Bruce told me he loved me.” 

“And then?” Roy prompts as Jason keeps punching.

“And then he told Dick to leave.” Green creeps into the edge of Jason’s vision. “Said he crossed that one line, he _killed_.” Jason’s hits are landing harder now, Roy leaning more of his weight against the bag to keep it steady. 

“And when I told him _I_ crossed that line. That _I’ve_ killed. Well,” Jason barks out a breathless laugh. “That was the happy reunion over, wasn’t it? I mean, who cares that hisdead son is back. That I’m _here_. I’m alive and he _doesn’t fucking care_.”

Jason can barely see through the green fog clouding his vision.

“ _I did what I had to,_ ” he yells. “I _died_. I was _murdered_. And when I crawled my way out of my own grave, I swore to myself _no one_ was gonna hurt me like that again. So I did what I _had to do_.”

Jason stops, slumping forward and letting his head rest against the bag. “I can’t—I can’t go through that again,” he sobs. 

Roy abandons the bag and pulls Jason into a hug, carefully maneuvering them to the floor. He makes quiet shushing noises as Jason grips the front of his shirt and bawls. It’s loud, and messy, and Jason feels like the sobs are tearing themselves out of his chest, but by the time they’ve quieted he feels lighter.

“Fuck,” he mutters, pulling away and wiping his face. “Didn’t mean to lose it like that.”

Roy snorts. “It’s fine, I was expecting it.”

Jason shoots him a halfhearted glare as he gets up and grabs two water bottles. “Really?”

“Yep.” Roy sits back down next to him on the mats. “Here,” he offers one water bottle. “You need to rehydrate.”

Jason takes the bottle, twisting off the top and chugging half of it in one go. “And why the hell were you expecting me to bawl my eyes out?”

“Anger is a secondary emotion.” Roy takes a drink. “Learned that in therapy. When you’re angry, it’s always caused by some other emotion. Fear, sadness, loneliness, et cetera. Once you get the anger out, then you can get to whatever that emotion was.”

“Huh.” Jason takes another drink. They sit in silence for a moment. 

“Your eyes turned green,” Roy says eventually. 

Jason huffs. “Yeah, they do that now. It’s a side effect of the Lazarus Pit.” He runs one hand down his face. “Side effect of a side effect, more like. When I get angry now, it’s not like it used to be. It feels like I’m on a hair trigger all the time, and once something sets me off I can barely control it. Everything turns green, and it’s all I can do not to lose it and attack someone.”

Roy nods. “How do you handle it?”

Jason props his arms on his knees, letting his head hang. “I don’t always. Sometimes I _do_ lose it. If I get angry enough, if whatever sets me off is bad enough…” Jason laughs helplessly. “Well, I’ve already admitted to being a killer.” 

“You’ve admitted to killing people,” Roy corrects. “Don’t make it your identity, not if you’re ashamed of it.”

Jason lifts his head. “Who says I _am_ ashamed of it?” he challenges.

“The way you talk about it’s kind of a tip off,” Roy shrugs. “But if I’m wrong, correct me.”

“They got what they deserved.” Jason looks away, fidgeting with the cap on the water bottle. 

Roy nods. “Alright. I won’t push.” He sets his water bottle off to the side. “I don’t know much about the Lazarus Pit, but I know a thing or two about managing anger. Trying to push it down and ignore it is pretty much gonna do the opposite of what you want.”

“Then what _am_ I supposed to do?” It comes out harsher than Jason intends, but Roy doesn’t even blink.

“Figure out a healthy way to vent,” he says. “Exercise is a good one, but everybody’s different. Talking it out, screaming into a pillow, writing mean letters you’re never gonna send, there’s a lot of different things you can try. The point is to make a habit of it, so your anger isn’t building up to the point that you’re exploding.”

Jason hums. “What do you do?”

“Aside from beating up criminals in costume, you mean?”

Jason snorts. “Yeah.”

“I have a journal. I take it out and write about everything that’s pissed me off recently. Every cruel, horrible thought that crossed my mind, even the ones I don’t really mean. Then I put it away, and let it go.” Roy shrugs. “I started in rehab, and it works for me.”

“Rehab?”

“It’s a long story. But I’m two years clean and going strong. It helps that I’ve got a damn good reason to stay sober.”

“What’s that?”

“My daughter.” Roy smiles. “Lian needs me.”

“Yeah.” Jason thinks of Catherine. She’d been a good mom when she was sober. 

“Alright.” Roy climbs to his feet. “Ready to head back?” He offers his hand to Jason.

“Guess so.” He lets Roy pull him to his feet. 

As Roy drives them back to Dick’s apartment, Jason thinks over all the things he’d had planned for his return to Gotham before it got derailed. The Joker’s dead, Bruce knows he’s alive. He has no idea where he’s supposed to go from here. What else is there?

Maybe it’s time to meet the new kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roy @ Jason in this chapter: Everyone's traumatized, bitch. Let's get you some coping mechanisms   
> Hope you enjoyed, see you in the next chapter -Merc
> 
> You can find us on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins(batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr @merc--ury (main) or @transrobins (batfam/dc)
> 
> Please comment or leave a kudos if you liked this


End file.
